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United States Announces Additional Humanitarian Assistance for Countries Facing Famine and Ongoing Violence

For Immediate Release

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Office of Press Relations

Telephone: +1.202.712.4320 | Email: press@usaid.gov

Today, the United States announced more than $575 million in additional humanitarian assistance to the millions of people affected by food insecurity and violence in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia. This additional funding brings the total U.S. humanitarian assistance to nearly $2.5 billion for these four crises since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2017.

The announcement was made by United States Agency for International Development Administrator Mark Green at the United Nations General Assembly. With this new funding, the United States is providing emergency food and nutrition assistance, life-saving medical care, improved sanitation, emergency shelter, and protection for vulnerable groups who have been affected by conflict. The United States is also providing safe drinking water and supporting health and hygiene programs to treat and prevent disease outbreaks, including cholera, which has taken hold in all four countries.

Tens of millions of people are in need of humanitarian assistance as a result of the man-made crises in South Sudan, Nigeria, and Yemen, all of which are driven by conflict and Somalia, where ongoing conflict is exacerbating the effects of a severe drought. While a swift influx of aid helped roll back famine in some areas of South Sudan, and has so far prevented famine in Yemen and Somalia, life-threatening hunger is spreading in both scope and scale. During today's announcement, Administrator Green reiterated the U.S. Government's commitment to working with international and local partners to avert famine and provide life-saving aid to people impacted by these crises.

The United States is the single largest donor of humanitarian assistance for these crises. We commend the humanitarian contributions made by international donors, and encourage additional contributions to meet growing needs. We also call on all parties involved in these conflicts to allow aid workers full and unhindered access to help communities in need.